Printing machine



July 9, 1935. c. A. FLOOD PRINTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 25, 1933 '7 Shee'ts-Sheet 1 lily/6212272" z A. Flap 5% @ZQMJ? fliiys.

Filed Oct. 25, 1933 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 fiwerziar July 9, 1935. c. A. FLOOD 2,007,526

PRINTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 25, 1935 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 fiwerziar z 1 Iflqa 3217 w11/6Z% 7J July 9, 1935. c, FLOOD 2,007,526

' PRINTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 25, 1935 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 l I 19 4 a Ear Z [76,0 W. @AW M- July 9, 1935. c. A. FLOOD PRINTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 25, 1933 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 filderziar ihad wf/ flli'jys.

III/III July 9, 1935. c. A. FLOOD 12,007,526

' PRINTING MACHINE Filed 001:. 25, 1955 '7 Sheets-Sheet e July 9, 1935. c. A. FLOOD PRINTING MACHINE Filed dot. 25, 1953 \m y \M M w i WW a 1 Z HI llllHlHllflJHl PRINTING momma Carl A. Flood, Framingham, Mass., assignor to Dennison Manufacturing Company, Framingham, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application October 25, 1933, Serial No. 695,116

10 Claims. (01. 101-96) This invention relates to an improved machine ticularly adapted to print tickets or tags of the for printing sheet articles, and more particularly type which each have a looped string attached price tickets for use in stores or the like. Tickets at one of its ends. A guide and retainer is proof this character are ordinarily provided with a vided to receive the string loops a d to engage plurality of descriptive and/or identifying charthe knotted ends of the lat er as they pass away 5 acters to indicate the lot number, quality, source from the platen, thus to hold the tickets in place of supply, and the like, as well as readily readable without ne s i y f r pr vi n a receiving basket indicia to show the retail price, color, size, etc. or the like for the printed tickets. In a machine The present invention aiiords improvements in of s type tickets y e Stacked in a pp a machine of this character which particularly m h lower part of which they are fed be- 10 facilitate the printing of price tickets and in gentween the Printing p n a d printing W eral aiiord more advantageous arrangements of When tickets a g p d strings at their end the general type of mechanism disclosed in my are t us a d in t h pp r, h strin s tend copending application s ri l N 652,463, filed to interfere with the even stacking of the tickets,

January 19, 1933. In accordance with that inand accordingly I have Provided Vibratory means vention, a plurality of printing wheels may be into assure the P p pos t on of the tickets as terconnected with a plurality of corresponding they reach e bottom of th pp so that the indicating wheels, one indicating wheel being adlowermost ticket is P p y ted to be enjustable simultaneously with a corresponding geged y the feeding a s a d fed between the printing wheel to permit the definitelocation of platen and Printing W e s. 20 the printing symbols in a desired order or ar- Tickets Which are employed d t y rangement to afford the code indications of price, articles of a d e, and to afiord an indicasize, etc. The present invention affords improvetion of price, ri y bear indications of size, ments facilitating the proper setting of these quality, and Source. which e des rably retained printing wheels, and in general facilitating the with the article until Soldon the other hand, 25 employment of a machine of th character, parthe retail prices marked upon the tickets are often ticularly when used in printing price tickets for altered to conform With Seasonal tr nds, hanges t il stores or for i il purposes in style, and other merchandising considerations.

Price tickets are ordinarily printed in lots cor- The Present invention allows a unique arrangeresponding in number to the articles, such as merit of Printing to permit the p e indication 3o garments, in a lot which is being marked for sale. to be arranged So that the pa o the cket bea A machine of t t disclosed herein may b ing the same may be severed from the remainder power driven and may be effective rapidly to of the ticket and a new price disposed in a blank print separate price tickets, each of which may space ad n th v r d d p rt n. F r

bear a single set of symbols, or each of which this Purpose a machine cfthc type Shown in y 35 comprises a plurality of sections with similar copending application Serial o- ,137, filed groups of symbols impressed upon each section. December 1933, may be p y automati- To facilitate the printing of tickets in lots each 02.113! to o t Off the p d end f the ticket afconsisting of a definite number of tickets of this forcing the Price indication and also to P t the type, the machine is provided with an automatic new price p the y portion of the ticket ad- 40 stop arrangement which is adjustable to permit a jo its severed end, or such a achine may selected number of printing operations to be perbe arranged to mark a line rough the first price formed, and then is automatically effective to at on a the end of the ticket and p int a mo printing; thus necessity of the operator new price adjoining the canceled indication. To

counting the number of tickets printed is permit these desirable results and to permit a 45 avoided, and the operator may take full advanrelatively compact and convenient arrangement tage of the rapidity of printing permitted by the of the indicia upon the ticket, the line of characmachine, while the machine is readily adaptable ters indicating the price preferably is disposed to print only one or two tickets with the same transversely in relation to the line or lines of indicia thereon, if desired. Furthermore, this archaracters affording the information which is de- 50 rangement avoids the liability of the operator sired to be permanently retained on the tag as of the machine printing an unnecessarily large long as the article is on sale. For this purpose, number of tickets for a given lot of merchandise I preferably provide auxiliary printing wheels and and consequent wasting of the tickets. corresponding indicating wheels which are ar- This invention afiords a machine which is parranged to rotate about axes that are disposed in 55 planes at right angles to the axis of the main printing and indicating wheels. .To facilitate the adjustment of the price indicating wheels, special means is afforded to permit a control shaft to be moved to adjust any one of the auxiliary printing wheels and the corresponding indicating wheel. Furthermore, means of this general type may be employed with the main printing wheels to facilitate the stopping of the wheels in proper position to assure accurate alignment of the characters upon adjoining wheels.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved printing machine, certain parts being removed and indicated in dotted lines for clarity of illustration;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the machine;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the machine;

Fig. 4 is a view of a typical ticket which may be printed in a machine of this character;

Fig. 5 is a section indicated by line 5-0 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the automatic counting and stop control mechanism with parts broken away and shown in section;

Fig. 'I is a section on line l-'I of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a section of the printing wheel assembly indicated by line 0-8 of Fig. 16;

Fig. 9 is a section on line 9-9 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is an elevational detail of a portion of the assembly shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is a section on line II-II of Fig. 10;

Figs. 12 and 13 are side elevations, respectively, of an auxiliary printing wheel and auxiliary indicating wheel of the type shown in Figs. 8 to 11;

Fig. 13* is a section indicated by line I3 ---I3 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 14 is a broken elevational detail of a portion of the adjusting means for the main indicating wheel;

Fig. 15 is an elevational detail of this portion of the machine, parts being broken away and shown in section;

Fig. 16 is a top view of the main and auxiliary printing and indicating wheel assembly with certain covering parts removed;

Fig. 17 is a horizontal central section through the assembly shown in Fig. 16, the adjusting carriage also being shown;

Fig. 18 is an end view of a portion of the assembly shown in Fig. 17 and particularly the part thereof effective to move and position the carriage; and

Figs. 19 and 20 are diagrammatic details showing different positions of the control member or pawl and the ratchet bar of the adjusting carriage.

The improvements afforded by this invention may be employed with various types of printing machines, but are particularly-applicable to employment with and are illustrated in conjunction with a machine of the same type as disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 652,468, filed January 19, 1933, which is incorporated herewith by reference. Since the detailed arrangement of the mechanism for feeding the tickets and causing oscillatory movement of the platen as well as the clutch means through which these parts are driven are fully described in my copending application, a general description of these parts will be sufficient to permit an understanding of the present invention.

A machine of this type is provided with a suitable frame I supporting a driving motor 2 which may be connected through worm earing 3 to a plate 202 which is adapted to be adjusted away from and toward the angles I to permit the hopper to accommodate tickets of different sizes; a weight 203 may rest on tickets in the hopper yieldably to press them downwardly. The clutch mechanism 4 is controlled by a throw-out shaft 22 which is connected to suitable control means that will be described in detail. The ribbon I00 may be fed back and forth over the printing wheels by any suitable mechanism, such as that disclosed and described in my copending application Serial No. 652,468, filed January 19, 1933.

The printing wheel assembly which is disposed below platen 44 is in many essential respects of the same general type as that disclosed in that application. For this purpose supporting brackets I00 carry an arbor member I03 (Fig. 1'7) extending therebetween. Member I03 is in the general form of a casting having a cross section of substantially c-shape (Fig. 8) with its ends providing generally cylindrical bearing surfaces. Upon the bearing surface at one end of member I03 are a plurality of main printing wheels I05 each having internal teeth I 06 in bearing engagement with the cylindrical surface of the arbor, while a corresponding number of indicating wheels I I0 with internal teeth III are mounted at the opposite end of the arbor I03.

A slidable carriage or adjusting mechanism, designated in general by symbol C is mounted in the portion of the arbor where the cylindrical bearing surfaces are discontinued. The arbor provides guideways or grooves on which the carriage frame II5 may slide. A shaft II! is rotatably supported by journals on the frame H5 and carries a knurled or corrugated adjusting handle or knob I I9 at its outer end. Spaced, toothed control wheels I20 and III are mounted on the shaft in such a position that the teeth of gear I20 may engage the internal teeth of a printing wheel I05 when wheel I2I engages the internal teeth of the corresponding indicating wheel I I0. A pointer I40 is fixed to the carriage C in such a manner that its end portion is disposed over the indicating wheel which is being engaged with the corresponding control pinion I 2I. A suitable transparent cover I46 permits portions of the peripheral surfaces of the indicating wheels to be readily visible, and dark lines or bars I46 extending across this transparent sheet I46 define an area corresponding to the region upon the surfaces of the printing wheels which are in printing position. Thus the operator by observing the position of the symbols between the line elements I46 may receive an accurate indication of the relative position of the symbols or printing elements in printing position on the printing wheels.

The carriage C may be moved laterally to bring the pinions I20 and I 2| into engagement with the internal teeth of corresponding selected printing and indicating wheels. Ribs or aligning elements I29 on the frame II5 are engageable between the aligned teeth of, successive wheels, thus to look all of the wheels in a fixed or a set position except the wheels that are being engaged by gears I20 and I2I.

In order to facilitate movement of the carriage C and its proper positioning, a rigid bar I30 is provided having upper and lower sets of teeth which may be successively engaged by the stepping pawl I 3 I. This pawl is of the form of a sheet metal member pivotally connected to the end of the carriage frame (Fig. 18) and normally urged in, an anticlockwise direction by a spring I28. The member I3I has a bifurcated portion providing outstanding beveled elements which are engageable with the upper and lower sets of teeth on ratchet bar I30. Normally the spring I28 is effective in holding the lower arm of the bifurcated portion in engagement with one of the teeth on the lower edge of bar I 30 as shown in Fig. 19. The lower portion of member I3I affords an outstanding flange or handle element I33 which may be pressed downwardly to swing the member I 3| against the tension of spring I28, thus disengaging the lower arm of that member from the lower edge of bar I30. Continued downward movement of the finger element I33 causes the upper arm on member I3I to engage the upper toothed edge of bar I30. The bifurcated portion of the member I28 is so shaped and arranged in relation to the teeth of bar I30 that this results in moving the bar I30 and consequently the entire carriage C one half step toward the right as viewed in Figs. 19 and 20. When the finger piece I33 is released, the spring I28 returns member I3I to its normal position, the lower arm of this member being effective in causing the ratchet bar I30 to move toward the right for asecond half step. Thus each time that the element I33 is fully depressed and released, a stepped movement of the carriage to the right moves the gears or pinions I20 and I2I out of engagement with a corresponding printing and indicatingwheel, respectively, into engagement with the internal teeth upon the next adjoining wheels at the right of the wheels previously engaged.

When it is desired to move the carriage C to the left, a second finger piece I34 is moved upwardly until a shoulder thereon engages a corner of pawl I3I which is pressed downwardly, as shown in Fig. 18. Thus, as the finger pieces I33 and I34 are moved toward each other the member I3I is disposed in the neutral position illustrated in FigIlS, so that both its upper and lower arms are disengaged from the toothed upper and lower edges of the bar I30. Under these conditions the carriage C is free to slide so that it may be moved manually toward the left to bring the pointer to the desired position, whereupon the finger pieces I33 and I34 may be released, the latter dropping under the action of gravity to its normal position out of engagement with the pawl I3I and the latter moving in an anticlockwise direction under the tension of spring I28, thus to cause the lower arm of member I3I again to move into locking engagement with the ratchet bar I30. When the carriage moves to the right end of its path, as indicated in Fig. 2, control wheels I20 and I2I are located out of engagement with the internal teeth of the printing and indicating wheels and these wheels are held in fixed position in relation to each other by the locking bars I 29,

In order to assist in stopping the control wheels so that the adjoining symbols on the printing and indicating wheels are located in definite rows in alignment with each other, mechanism of the type illustrated in Figs. 14 and 15 is disposed at the end of the carriage C. For this purpose a wheel M is secured to the shaft I I1 and has shallow teeth upon its periphery, a swinging pawl member 42 being pivotally mounted upon the end plate of the carriage frame and carrying a pin 43 engageable with the toothed periphery of wheel 4i. A tension spring 46 is arranged to press the pin against the peripheryof the wheel. The teeth of the wheel are shaped so that they engage the pin with a cam-like action permitting the ready movement of the teeth past the pin, but allowing the tension spring 46 to move the pin inwardly so that the wheel tends to stop with the pin located in one of the depressions between adjoining teeth. The teeth and depressions on the wheel M are so arranged that the knob H9 and the shaft I I1 will tend to stop when the printing wheel that is being adjusted stops with a symbol in definite alignment with the symbols of adjoining printing wheels. Thus the movement of the carriage C is facilitated since the internal teeth I06 and III of the printing and indicating wheels will be in definite alignment; thus movement of the carriage into successive positions to effect the adjustment of different printing wheels is facilitated and it is not necessary for the operator to employ precise care in accurately locating the symbols upon the indicating wheel in alignment to permit the movement of the carriage for the adjustment of an adjoining wheel.

In accordance with this invention, an auxiliary printing wheel assembly A is provided to effect the printing of prices upon the ends of the tickets, the single line of printing afforded by the auxiliar mechanism extending at right angles to the line or lines of printing provided by the main printing wheels I05. The general arrangement of the auxiliary mechanism A is shown in Figs. 2 and 3, while Figs. 8 to 13 inclusive illustrate this assembly in greater detail. The assembly A may include a supporting frame 50 secured upon the arbor I03 and providing end plates through which an adjusting shaft extends. The end of this shaft projects beyond the main printing wheel assembly and carries a knurled control knob or handle 52. The shaft 5| is provided with a plurality of circumferential grooves 53 (Fig. 9), which are engageable with the rounded end of a spring-pressed plunger 54, thus tending to cause the shaft 5| to stop in one of a selected number of adjusted positions when it is slid longitudinally in relation to the fixed frame 50. The inner end of shaft 5| carries a gear wheel 51 fixed thereto. The teeth upon wheel 51 mesh with teeth upon an adjoining gear wheel 58 which is secured to the shaft 59 associated with the indicating wheels 60, and with the gear 62 associated with the auxiliary printing wheels.

As shown in Fig. 11, a bushing or sleeve 64 is disposed about the shaft 59 and engages one face of the wheel 58, the opposite face of which is engaged by a washer 61 secured upon the inner end of shaft 59. The teeth of gear 51 which mesh with gear 58 are disposed between washer 61, and the end of bushing 64 so that longitudinal movement of the shaft 5| and its gear 51 is effective in causing the sliding of bushing 64 in the frame 5|. Secured to the shaft 59 is a disk or wheel 69 carrying an outstanding projection which is engageable in internal recesses between teeth on the indicating wheels 60 which are of the general shape shown in Fig. 13. A bushing 'II is disposed between the front surface of wheel 69 and a head I6 on shaft 59. The bushings 64, and H each carry aligned ribs which are slidable in engagement with recesses in frame 50 and the indicating wheels 60 to lock these wheels in position aside from the wheel, that is, in engagement with the projection on adjusting wheel 68. A pointer bar 13 is secured to the bushing 10 and extends over the indicating wheels. Thus as the shaft 5| is longitudinally adjusted it tends to move to a position wherein the plunger 54 engages one of the grooves 63, thus being effective in positioning shaft 59 so that projection 18 may engage one of the indicating wheels 68 to permit the adjustment of the latter.

The printing wheels 14 are arranged about the shaft in the same general manner as has been described in connection with the indicating wheels so that the printing wheels may be adjust ed to bring the desired combination of symbols to printing position when the indicating wheels are adjusted to bring the corresponding symbols upon their peripheries to a position under the pointer bar 13 which is secured to the bushing 64.

The arrangement of the auxiliary printing wheels is shown more particularly in Fig. 9, bushings 62 and 83 being disposed about the shaft 84 upon which gear 62 is fixed. These bushings have suitable outsanding ribs slidable in recessed portions of the frame 58 and in the recessed portionsof the printing wheels to hold the latter in position, except for the wheel that is in engagement with the projection upon the adjusting disk 81 which is similar in construction to the wheel or disk 69. The teeth of gear 51 which mesh with the teeth of gear 62 are disposed between the bushing 82 and a washer 88. Accordingly, longiv tudinal movement of shaft 5| with its gear 51' is effective in causing a similar movement of both shafts 59 and 84, causing a corresponding movement of the adjusting wheels 68 and 81 into engagement with corresponding indicating and printing wheels.

Thus to adjust the machine so that a desired price may be printed, the control handle 52 is manipulated to cause the indicating wheels and corresponding printing wheels to be turned in succession until the desired symbols corresponding to the price to be printed are disposed, as shown in Fig. 16, beside the pointer bar 13.

A spring-pressed pawl member 96 is provided with an elongate cam-like ridge or lug SI to engage the teeth upon gear 51 in any of its adjusted positions (Figs. 10 and 16). A suitable spring is effective in urging this lug into yieldable engagement with the teeth. Thus as the shaft 5| is rotated by manipulation of handle 52, the gear 51 tends to stop in a position wherein the lug on pawl 90 is disposed between its teeth, the arrangement being so determined that the printing wheel which is being adjusted will stop with its symbols in definite alignment with the symbols upon the adjoining wheels that are locked in position by the rib elements in bushings 82 and 83. Thus proper alignment of the symbols upon each of the auxiliary printing wheels is assured.

In order to permit the printing of a definite number of tickets with a selected arrangement of symbolsthereon, the automatic stopping and control mechanism S is provided in conjunction with the clutch control shaft or rod 22. This mechanism comprises a fixed bracket I50 secured to the upper part of the frame of the machine and a rotatable drum I 52 provided with a knurled peripheral portion and with a plurality of numbers arranged in adjoining parallel rows or peripheral columns. Adjoining the bracket I58 the numbers may be arranged in close sequence, while in the adjoining row the numbers may be separated by alternate blank spaces. In the next or bearing the word Stop is fixed to the periphery of the drum. When it is desired to print a definite number of tickets, the drum I52 is adjusted so that the portion marked "Stop will move into registration with the upper edge of the part I55 when the desired number of tickets are printed. Accordingly, the adjustable drum I52 is first set with a number thereon registering with the upper edge of member I56 corresponding to the number of tickets that it is desired to print. If tickets having but a single group of symbols thereon are to be printed, this adjustment is made with reference to the first row or single spaced figures. If tickets each having two sets or groups'of symbols are to be printed, the adjustment is made with reference to the second column or double spaced numerals upon the drum. If tickets havingthree.

sections are to be printed, the third column is employed to facilitate adjustment, and similarly if tickets having four sections are to be printed, the fourth column is referred to for purposes of adjustment.

Disposed within the bracket I58 is a gear or toothed wheel I58 fixed to the drum I52, which is mounted on the axial bolt I6I. A link I62 connected to the platen frame 31 (Fig. 5) extends through an opening in the front of bracket I58 and has a corner portion engageable with successive teeth upon the wheel I59 so that each oscillation of the platen frame 31 which corresponds to a single printing operation is effective in causing the stepped. movement of the wheel I 59 for a distance corresponding to one tooth upon its periphery. In order to prevent overrunning of the wheel I60, a spring-pressed pawl or detent I62 is provided. A pin I64 mounted on the gear drum I 52 is engageable with a block I65 that is connected to a handle member I14 and a rod I16, the latter being connected to the clutch control rod 22. Accordingly, when the pin engages the block I65 the rod 22 is operated to disengage the clutch 4 so that the driving motor 2 may continue to operate without causing further impressions by the platen 44.

When it is desired to cause a further number of printing operations after adjustment of the drum I52, the member I14 is pressed inwardly to cause the reengagement of the clutch mechanism, whereupon the desired-number of printing operations may be effected. A bell crank member I" is loosely mounted on the shaft I6I and is engageable with a pin on the block I65. Accordingly when the clutch 1s disengaged, the crank I 11 is effective in throwing the link I 63 upwardly out of engagement with the toothed periphery of wheel I60, thus to permit drum I52 to be manually rotatable in either direction, as may be more convenient.

A link I18 (Figs. 2 and 3 )is pivotally connected to a fixed portion of the machine and has an inturned end resting against the inner face of the front portion of the platen frame 31 and accordingly has a sliding movement in engagement therewith as the platen oscillates about its pivotal support 48. An oscillatory member 49 is disposed adoining one of the hopper angles 2!" and provides a flange disposed adjoining the end flange of this angle. The inturned flange upon link "8 engages an extension of the member 48 to cause a limited oscillatory movement of the latter in response to the movement of the platen. Thus the outer flange of member 49 swings in and out in relation to the angle 25I and is effective in engaging the end portions of the tickets, thus jarring or jogging the same to assist the proper stacking of the tickets, particularly as they approach the lower part of the hopper. Thus the proper location of the lowermost ticket is assured so that this ticket may be engaged by the feeding fingers 80 and advanced to printing position.

A sheet metal guide member I83 .is secured to a part of the platen frame and aflords an outstanding plate or straight bar portion extending in the same general direction as the platen frame 81 when it is in printing position, but being inclined downwardly to a somewhat greater angle.

When tickets with string loops are disposed within the hopper, these loops are placed over this bar portion of member I83 in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2. The outer end of the member I83 is bifurcated to provide an upturned prong I84 which is separated from the fiat bar portion by a narrow slot. As a ticket passes to printing position, the corresponding string loop tends to swing downwardly, and as the ticket leaves the printing position the loop engages the end portion of this slot, the knot at the end of the loop catching in the slot. Thus the ticket is held on the machine after it leaves the printing position. When a plurality of tickets have been printed and are to be removed, their string loops may be disengaged from the member I83 by an upward movement to slide the loops out of the slot provided by that member.

In the practical operation of a machine of this character, the carrige C is manipulated and the knob H9 is turned to effect the desired adjustment of the main printing wheels. This is done until the group of symbols between bars I4Ii corresponds to the characters that are to be printed on the main portion of the ticket. The knob 52 may then be adjusted in and out to permit the wheel 51 to be operatively connected to successive auxiliary printing wheels and the corresponding indicating wheels. When the auxiliary indicating wheels 60 adjoining the indicator bar I3 afford a. line of symbols corresponding to' the price to be printed on the end of the ticket, the auxiliary printing wheels 14' are properly adjusted. With the carriage C moved to its inoperative position, the main printing wheels are locked in position by the ribs I29 while the auxiliary printing wheels I4 are held in place by the ribs on bushings 82 and 83, the wheel I2 remaining in engagement with one of these wheels and being held against rotation by the pawl or detent element 90.

A plurality of tickets of the desired size, 1. e., having one or more sections, may then be disposed in the hopper. One of these tickets provided with two sections is shown in Fig. 4, this ticket having one end section with a knotted string loop secured thereto and having an adjoining section separated from the first section by a perforated line. A pair of feed slots I04 may be disposed in this perforated line, being arranged for engagement with the feeding fingers 80. a ticket of this general type is more fully disclosed in my January 19, 1932. The ticket may conveniently be provided with a vertical line I0'I separating the main portion of each section from the end portion which is to receive the price indication, the main portion of each section being wide enough to receive the main group of symbols indicating the purchase price, lot, quality, source of supply, etc.

In practice the size of the hopper may be adjusted due to movement of the plate 252 to accommodate tickets having different numbers of sections. When tickets having two or more sections are provided, string loops may be employed on more than one section, if desired. When the tickets are disposed in the hopper, the weight 253 is lifted and disposed over the uppermost ticket. Thus the weight is eilective in yieldably urging the tickets downwardly to the region of the feeding fingers 80. The string loops I03 of the tickets have their end portions disposed over the outer edge of the straight bar or plate portion of member I83, as shown in Fig. 2.

The automatic stop mechanism S is then set to count the number of tickets being printed in accordance with the number of articles in the lot to which the tickets are to be applied. If tickets each having two sections, for example, are to be printed, the drum I52 is adjusted until the number in the second column, corresponding to the number of tickets to be printed, is disposed above the bar I55. If the motor I is not already running, the electric circuit is closed to start the motor in operation and the finger piece I14 is pressed inwardly to cause engagement of the clutch. Thus the main shaft 5 is driven and the oscillatory movement of the platen frame 31 is effected through the linkage L as well as the feeding movement of the fingers 80. Thus successive sections of each ticket are fed to printing position and successive tickets in turn are similarly fed beneath the printing platen 44. The weight 253 is effective in causing the movement of successive tickets downwardly to a position wherein they are engaged by the feeding fingers 80, which in turn engage the slots I04 and the edges of the tickets to feed successive ticket sections to printing position.

During each printing operation the platen 44 is effective in pressing one section of the ticket against ribbon I60 above the printing symbols on the main printing wheels and in pressing the end portion of each section against the ribbon above the line of printing characters on the auxiliary printing wheels. As the tickets move out of printing position, the knotted string loops catch in the slot at the end of member I83, and the tickets hang suspended from this member until removed.

As successive tickets are printed, the counting mechanism is effective in causing rotation of the wheel I59 and of the drum I52 until the pin,

I64 upon the drum engages the clutch throwout block I65, moving the control rod I16 to a position corresponding to the disengaged position of the clutch. Thus the clutch is disconnected and the main shaft 5 and linkage L is no longer driven in response to operation of the motor I. Thus the desired number of tickets are printed.

Each ticket may be of the general type shown in Fig. 4, with each section provided with a body portion having a transversely extending line or preferably two lines of staggered characters or symbols and having an end portion or zone with a price indication printed on its end, the direccopending application Serial No. 652,467, filed tion of extent of the figures of the price being transversely of the direction of extent of the main line or lines of characters and there being a blank space in the end zone to receive additional price indications when the price is changed to conform to seasonal trends or other factors. This arrangement of the price indication upon the end of the ticket, with an adjoining blank space, is particularly advantageous, since it permits the cutting oil of the extreme end of the ticket bearing the original price indication and the application of a new price marking upon the original blank portion of the ticket. For this purpose a machine of the type disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 704,137 may be conveniently employed.

It is evident that this invention affords a printing machine which is particularly adapted to facilitate the printing of price tickets in large or relatively small lots for use in stores. When numerous articles of the same type or general character are to be marked but certain changes in the tickets are to be made, as changes in indication of size, the desired number of tickets for each size of garment may readily be printed by proper setting of the stop mechanism S. The machine may then be stopped, the printed tickets for one size removed, and the necessary change in adjustment of one or two of the main printing wheels may then be quickly made and the succeeding lot of tickets for the next size then be rapidly printed. It is evident that the automatic stop mechanism avoids necessity for counting tickets and the consequent possibility of mistake or error in counting, and furthermore, avoids the liability of the wasting of tickets by printing too many tickets for a given lot of merchandise.

The arrangement of the oscillatory member 48 and of the guide and retainer I83 particularly facilitates the printing of price tickets having string loops at their ends; the arrangement of the auxiliary printing wheels is advantageous in permitting a commercially convenient disposition of the printed matter upon the ticket so that the price indication may readily be changed or entirely removed from the ticket and a new price indication applied without disturbing the information which should remain with the article throughout the period when it is on sale.

I claim.

1. Printing mechanism comprising a frame, a plurality of printing wheels mounted on the frame, a plurality of indicating wheels, means operatively to connect a selected wheel with a corresponding indicating wheel to permit simultaneous adjustment thereof, said printing wheels being arranged to print a line of indicia, a set of auxiliary printing wheels, a set of corresponding auxiliary indicating wheels, and means selectively to connect one of the auxiliary printing wheels and a corresponding auxiliary indicating wheel to permit adjustment of the auxiliary printing wheels, said auxiliary printing wheels being arranged to print the line extending transversely to the line printed by the first-named printing wheels, and means cooperating with the printing wheels to eifect a printing operation.

2. Printing mechanism comprising a supporting arbor, a plurality of printing wheels disposed upon one end of the arbor, a corresponding set of indicating wheels disposed on the other end of the arbor and selectively operable means to connect one of the printing wheels with one of the indicating wheels to permit adjustment thereof, said printing wheels being arranged to print a line of characters extending in one direction, a set of auxiliary printing wheels mounted on a frame carried by the arbor and arranged to print a line of characters extending transversely to the first-named line and a set of auxiliary indicating wheels associated with the auxiliary printing wheels, and selectively operable means to permit adjustment of a selected one of the auxiliary printing wheels and the corresponding auxiliary indicating wheel.

3. Printing mechanism of the class described comprising a set of main printing wheels arranged to print a main line of characters extending in one direction, a set of auxiliary printing wheels arranged to print a line of characters extending transversely to the first-named line, supporting means for the main printing wheels and the auxiliary printing wheels, and means to permit selective adjustment of the auxiliary printing wheels, said means including a slidable and rotatable shaft having a gear at its end, a second shaft having a gear meshing with the first-named gear, and means on said shafts to permit their simul taneous sliding movement, an element carried by the second shaft being engageable with a selected auxiliary printing wheel to permit adjustment thereof.

4. Printing mechanism of the class described comprising a set of main printing wheels arranged to print a main line of characters extending in one direction, a'setof auxiliary printing wheels arranged toprint a line of characters extending transversely to the first-named line, supporting means for the main printing wheels and the auxiliary printing wheels, means to permit selective adjustment of the auxiliary printing wheels, said means including a slidable and rotatable shaft having a gear at its end, a second shaft having a gear meshing with the first-named gear and means on said shafts to permit their simultaneous sliding movement, an element carried by the second shaft to engage the auxiliary printing wheels to permit adjustment thereof, said first-named shaft having a plurality of grooves therein, and a springpressed plunger engageable with said grooves and effective in tending to cause the shafts to stop in a position so that said element may be eflective in engaging only one of the auxiliary printing wheels.

5. Printing mechanism of the class described comprising a plurality of printing elements, a

cooperating platen mechanism to eilect relative movement of the platen and the printingelements to eflect repeated impressions, a hopper, means to feed tickets from the hopper between the platen and printing elements, means to interrupt movement of the platen, counting mechanism selectively adjustable to cause the operation of said interrupting means to stop impressions by the platen after a determined number of such impressions have been made, said mechanism being in the form of a rotatable member, step mechanism movable in response to the successive movements of the platen to cause step by step rotary movement of the said member, and a part carried by said member movable into engagement with a part of said interrupting means.

6. Printing mechanism of the class described comprising a plurality of printing elements, a cooperating platen mechanism to eifect the movement of the platen toward and away from the printing elements to effect repeated impressions, a hopper, means to feed tickets from the hopper between the platen and printing elements, means to interrupt movement of the platen, counting mechanism selectively adjustable to cause the operation of said interrupting means to stop impressions by the platen after a determined number of such impressions have been made, said means being in the form of a rotatable member, step mechanism movable'in response to the successive movements of the platen to cause step by step rotary movement of the said member and a part carried by said member movable into engagement with a part of said interrupting mechanism, and an indicating drum associated with said rotary member and having a plurality of circumferential columns thereon arranged to indicate different numbers of tickets which may be printed when the tickets each have one or more sections to be printed by successive impressions of the platen.

'7. Printing mechanism of the class described comprising a supporting arbor, a plurality of printing wheels, a set of indicating wheels, a control carriage operable selectively to connect one of the printing wheels with the corresponding indicating wheel and to permit simultaneous adjustment of the same, said printing and indicating wheels having internal teeth, pinions carried by the carriage having teeth engageable with the internal teeth of corresponding printing and indicating wheels, and means associated with said shaft to cause the stopping of the pinions in a position wherein the teeth of adjoining printing and indicating wheels may lie in mutual alignment to permit shifting of the carriage to facilitate the adjustment of adjoining wheels.

8. Printing mechanism of the class described comprising a supporting arbor, a plurality of printing wheels, a set of indicating wheels, a control carriage operable selectively to connect one of the printing wheels with the corresponding indicating wheel and to permit simultaneous adjustment of the same, said printing and indicating wheels having internal teeth and pinions carried by the carriage having teeth engageable with the internal teeth of corresponding printing and indicating wheels, means associated with said shaft to cause the stopping of the pinions in a position wherein the teeth of adjoining printing and indicating wheels may lie in mutual alignment to permit shifting of the carriage to facilitate the adjustment of adjoining wheels, said means including a wheel on said shaft having shallow cam-like teeth, and a spring-pressed element yieldably urged into engagement with said teeth, said teeth being arranged to correspond with the spacing of the teeth upon the indicating and printing wheels.

9. A machine for printing tickets such as price tickets each having two sections thereon, one of said sections being adapted to receive a line of printed symbols to be permanently retained on the ticket, the other section being arranged to receive a price marking extending transversely of the end of the ticket and providing a blank zone between said marking and said group of symbols, said machine comprising selectively movable main printing wheels to print said group of symbols and control means to permit the selective movement of different wheels to bring different characters thereon to printing position, and a plurality of auxiliary printing wheels and associated control means therefor to bring different selected symbols thereon to printing position to print a price indication in spaced relation and extending in a line at right angles to the line of characters on the main printing wheels which occupy the printing position, a movable platen, mechanism to drive the platen to cooperate with the main and auxiliary printing wheels in effecting repeated impressions, feeding means to feed successive tickets between the platen and wheels, and automatic counting and stop mechanism adjustable to permit the platen to make a plurality of impressions and then to interrupt further movement of the platen.

10. A machine for printing tickets such as price tickets each having two sections thereon, one of said sections being adapted to receive a line of printed symbols to be permanently retained on the ticket, the other section being arranged to receive a price marking extending transversely of the end of the ticket and providing a blank zone between said marking and said group of symbols, said machine comprising selectively movable main printing wheels to print said group of symbols and control means to permit the selective movement of different wheels to bring different characters thereon to printing position, and a plurality of auxiliary printing wheels and associated control means therefor to bring different selected symbols thereon to printing position to print a price indication in spaced relation and extending in a line at right angles to the line of characters on the main printing wheels which occupy the printing position, a movable platen, a driving motor, linkage connecting the driving motor and platen, feeding means to direct successive tickets to a printing position between the platen and wheels whereby successive impressions may be provided upon successive tickets as the platen is driven by the motor, a clutch associated with said linkage to disconnect the linkage from the driving motor, and adjustable clutch controlling means provided with a counting mechanism so that a plurality of impressions may be made by the platen, and the clutch may then automatically be disconnected to permit the making of a definite number of impressions on the tickets.

CARL A. FLOOD. 

